Aim To investigate the correlation between monocyte chemoattractant protein(MCP-1) and intima-media thickness(IMT) of carotid artery in essential hypertension(EH).Methods The experimental group included 103 cases from consecutive patients diagnosed as EH.The control group included 43 cases from those who accepted physical examination in the same setting.Three subgroups were divided in the experimental group according to the levels of blood pressure.Blood pressure was measured,IMT,inner diameter and the thickness,features,number of plaques were detected.ELISA was used to detect MCP-1 in the supernate.Results IMT and MCP-1 in EH differed significantly from those in the control group(P<0.05).IMT in the level 1 differed significantly from that in the level 2 and 3(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between the level 2 and the level 1.MCP-1 in the level 3 differed significantly from that in the level 1 and 2,but there was no significant difference between the level 1 and level 2.IMT and serum MCP-1 correlated positively in the experimental group(r=0.38,P<0.01).Conclusion IMT,MCP-1 in EH were obviously higher than those in the health.The effect of MCP-1 on atherosclerosis was worth attentioning.